Story
DinoGenics is a worker placement game where players compete to build the most successful and profitable dinosaur park. Each player takes on the role of a multi-billion dollar corporation, each with access to their private island park. Over the course of seven seasons, players will send workers to the nearby mainland to collect resources such as DNA, fences and other necessities needed to run a successful park.
Once a player has assembled their resources, they get to choose how to layout their individual parks and decide which dinosaurs they will attempt to house. Parks with the most prestigious dinosaurs will attract the most visitors, but remember, dinosaurs have a mind of their own and if neglected or improperly penned, they will attempt to escape and spread havoc.
![](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/588/038/04f3537f4d24fe093638e4409b6c12b9_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1507042568&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=52fd12567a51f5a8eb10af1371577bbb)
![](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/572/970/1a1df4ffb5f7ac3183aca4a470ef281a_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1506959333&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=b52eb6578d5059f2b130aaff7f0b2d98)
![](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/854/996/252b2afafb72b287bf0570c5081ecba1_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1508603971&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=69c0b215ff3db50e431e67d3d1344cbb)
DinoGenics plays out over 7 seasons, each composed of an Open Season and an Upkeep phase. During the Open Season phase, players will attract visitors based on the reputation of their individual parks. Reputation in DinoGenics is decided primarily by the types of dinosaurs a park contains; in general, the more dangerous the dinosaur, the more exciting it will be for visitors and increase your reputation the most.
![The T-Rex is one of the most valuable dinosaurs when it comes to reputation, unfortunately it also requires the largest habitat and consumes more meat per season than any other dinosaur.](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/573/021/b83980d116b62edd01d0f46715cd5ec3_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1506959492&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=82e18f1f3479469a6c5a032e73c4c5e8)
Reputation is important because the more visitors your park attracts the more money you will receive in a season. Reputation also determines player order, with the highest reputation park owners deciding where they send workers before lesser parks.
Players take turns assigning their workers to action spaces on the mainland board based on their reputation order. Once a worker is placed, a player immediately pays any associated costs and receives the benefit of the chosen Action Space.
![DNA cards are just one of the resources that can be collected by workers. Turn in a complete set of DNA at the DinoGenics research facility to produce a matching dinosaur.](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/582/349/7d613191d87ab4a1fc6104f0e0d1a3e8_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1507005106&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=51b26730e02ecb32c28c6159c88fd465)
Mainland action spaces are limited. Players need to prioritize when and where they send their workers to get the best results. Having a bunch of high value carnivores is great until you don’t have enough meat to feed them. Once all players have assigned all of their workers, play progresses to the Upkeep Phase.
![Placing workers during the open season allows players to produce new dinosaurs, arrange fences or buy facilities.](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/573/140/dd634a9920af674516d01b11440379f1_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1506959931&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=162c66d124370461982d6eeb0f71d8fb)
During the Upkeep Phase each park owner must attempt to feed any carnivores in his or her park. Failure to feed carnivores or properly pen dinosaurs will result in the potential destruction of park facilities or the death of visitors.
![A focus on lower value herbivores can help you avoid high meat upkeep costs, but keep a close on your competitors. If they build heavy into carnivores, they will easily outpace you in reputation.](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/576/358/62abf38fbf9644c3638231110c06ce86_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1506972401&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=684e9ec5475e92fdf3adffb9de45019e)
Following the feeding step, all visitors are returned to the main stockpile and any building resources or benefits are generated.
At this point, the game will advance to the next season.
![As a game of DinoGenics progresses, limited action spaces such as the Farm and the Uplink become highly contested. It is important to plan your turns in advance to prevent being blocked.](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/573/158/6e06b7d5aee09a991ca6f5496c6a2a08_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1506959997&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=67c8a122577ce92977f8c5ab6454a469)
![Mutants on their own are not worth much but if you combo them with the right facilities you can make them pay off as much as more popular dinosaurs.](https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/018/575/958/1a776510f9ebbbe66264baebb0c6de2b_original.jpg?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1506971019&auto=format&frame=1&q=92&s=2365f5bf38b3f8eb6ec55059cf150485)
- 2019 Board Game Quest Awards Best Strategy/Euro Game Nominee
- 2019 Board Game Quest Awards Best Game from a Small Publisher Nominee